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Penny Arcade - Comic - Algo Rhythms

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Algo Rhythms!

Penny Arcade - Comic - Algo Rhythms

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

Read the full story here

Posts

  • RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    Don't Read Books

    that's how they get you

    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • Golden YakGolden Yak Burnished Bovine The sunny beaches of CanadaRegistered User regular
    100% of the people who read books will die.

    H9f4bVe.png
  • GrendusGrendus Registered User regular
    The sad thing is, some people will read this comic and think it's political.

    Let me assure you, it is not. This is barely a parody of actual book titles, and the rather tenuous links Amazon's AI sometimes makes. I had something very similar when I looked at books about strength training, apparently some of the more bro-science titles recommended to me (more for mindset than methodology) are also popular with Andrew Tate's... fans.

    It's honestly terrifying.

  • palidine40palidine40 Registered User regular
    Yes, finally, some hate towards that idiotic algorithm. Thank the darkness between the stars. Normally people complain about specific businesses using said algorithm, its the algorithm's fate itself that needs to be admonished and adjudicated, and adjudication of it doesn't happen by destroying a specific company, the algorithm gets regulated when rules are put into place by some higher power than said companies. If we have one of those deific powers, we should use that. Bring the fire of this fearsome deity down to this algorithm, bring the algorithm the pain now yet unfelt.

  • V1mV1m Registered User regular
    That "algorithm" is bullshit. It's a lie that certain companies, Google I am specifically referring to you in a legal sense, hide behind. "Oh, you like breathing oxygen? Other oxygen breathers think that women should be forced to marry ALPHA MALES when they turn 15!"

  • Monkey Ball WarriorMonkey Ball Warrior A collection of mediocre hats Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited December 2023
    To be fair an algorithm is just software. It's the assholes that tune the software for max engagement, screw the social consequences, who earn my ire.

    Social media algorithms, AI, it's all just electrons bouncing around inside a computer, it can't do anything at all until a human being decides to use, or misuse, it.

    Blaming the algorithm or AI or whatever for bad outcomes is to give the actual human beings responsible a pass.

    Monkey Ball Warrior on
    "I resent the entire notion of a body as an ante and then raise you a generalized dissatisfaction with physicality itself" -- Tycho
  • Anon von ZilchAnon von Zilch Registered User regular
    Grendus wrote: »
    The sad thing is, some people will read this comic and think it's political.

    Let me assure you, it is not.

    I would say it is political, in the sense that Jerry's clear distaste for these recommendations probably reflect his distaste for the associated politics.

  • Johnny17Johnny17 Registered User regular
    Anon von Zilch wrote: »
    Grendus wrote: »
    The sad thing is, some people will read this comic and think it's political.

    Let me assure you, it is not.

    I would say it is political, in the sense that Jerry's clear distaste for these recommendations probably reflect his distaste for the associated politics.

    "Dear customer. Your recensions include 4129 instances of the word "fascism". We have modified our dataset to reflect your tastes more appropriately.

    Thanks for your Nibelungentreue!"

  • DjiemDjiem Registered User regular
    Anon von Zilch wrote: »
    Grendus wrote: »
    The sad thing is, some people will read this comic and think it's political.

    Let me assure you, it is not.

    I would say it is political, in the sense that Jerry's clear distaste for these recommendations probably reflect his distaste for the associated politics.

    I don't think Jerry would advocate for the killing and eating of Republicans either though.

  • V1mV1m Registered User regular
    He wouldn't eat them, no.

  • Emperor MegamanEmperor Megaman Registered User regular
    Anon von Zilch wrote: »
    Grendus wrote: »
    The sad thing is, some people will read this comic and think it's political.

    Let me assure you, it is not.

    I would say it is political, in the sense that Jerry's clear distaste for these recommendations probably reflect his distaste for the associated politics.

    I'd say it reflects his dislike of Amazon trying to recommend him political shits in general.

  • Train DodgerTrain Dodger Registered User regular
    edited December 2023
    Grendus wrote: »
    It's honestly terrifying.

    Amazon's algorithm is terrifying. No exaggeration. It's just plain terrifying.

    Train Dodger on
  • LttlefootLttlefoot Registered User regular
    An algorithm is just a process or set of rules. It's easier to do a simple calculation like "what books did other people who bought this also buy" than try to understand the content of a book

    Are you afraid of the algorithm, or afraid of the books and the people who read them?

    Or are you afraid of Hilary the necromancer who somehow raises corpses as ghosts instead of zombies / skeletons?

  • V1mV1m Registered User regular
    No I'm sorry but that's bullshit. This isn't a fair politically neutral "look we're just trying to sell stuff here, really we are!" algorithm. It's heavily weighted in a certain direction, and trying to claim it isn't is just wishful thinking.

  • DjiemDjiem Registered User regular
    edited December 2023
    If the algorithm was just a neutral seeker of my interests, it would actually learn from my activities. How many times must I tell it I'm not vegan and I hate everything right-wing before it stops harassing me with such materials? This applies to Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, etc.

    Djiem on
  • Anon von ZilchAnon von Zilch Registered User regular
    Djiem wrote: »
    Anon von Zilch wrote: »
    Grendus wrote: »
    The sad thing is, some people will read this comic and think it's political.

    Let me assure you, it is not.

    I would say it is political, in the sense that Jerry's clear distaste for these recommendations probably reflect his distaste for the associated politics.

    I don't think Jerry would advocate for the killing and eating of Republicans either though.

    Well the opposite end of the political spectrum isn't really about that, though. It's more about eating the rich from both parties.

  • OverkillengineOverkillengine Registered User regular
    edited December 2023
    Meanwhile the algorithms have decided I want multiple stories about puppies and adopting them plastered across the front page of my search engines. I'm more a cat person/"owner" though.

    *shrug*

    Overkillengine on
  • nialloniallo Registered User regular
    Even if it wasn't about Republicans or Democrats, it's still political. There's more to politics than US political parties.

  • Emperor MegamanEmperor Megaman Registered User regular
    niallo wrote: »
    Even if it wasn't about Republicans or Democrats, it's still political. There's more to politics than US political parties.

    It wasn't really about US or not US though. The point ofthe strip is Amazon recommending political stuff (of any sides or nature), because they are very, very vaguely related to a product he actually showed interest in, not theses political stances or any opinion regarding any of said political stances.
    And it's politics there, but it could have been something else, like the algorythm recommending you a book about , i dunno ,crypto because you once read somthing about monetary production in ancient Rome.

  • palidine40palidine40 Registered User regular
    V1m wrote: »
    No I'm sorry but that's bullshit. This isn't a fair politically neutral "look we're just trying to sell stuff here, really we are!" algorithm. It's heavily weighted in a certain direction, and trying to claim it isn't is just wishful thinking.

    So make rules against that type of ad targeting, then bingo, the algorithm goes away as a byproduct of the rule of law. Deleting a "bad" company doesn't get rid of that type of ad slinging, and it doesn't ensure the next one to rise won't do the same.

  • V1mV1m Registered User regular
    Oh yes I am fully confident that's a viable solution in the current political climate.

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